WASHINGTON—America’s Public Television Stations (APTS) has presented the 2025 Pillar of Public Service Award to Larry D. Unger, president and CEO of Maryland Public Television (MPT), for his remarkable work in education, public safety and community connections, in service to the people of Maryland.
The Pillar of Public Service Award recognizes the contribution of an extraordinary leader and innovator in one or more of public television’s three essential public service missions: education, public safety, and community connections.
“Larry’s exceptional work at Maryland Public Television has raised the bar of service and innovation many times during his 28-year tenure,” said Kate Riley, president and CEO of America’s Public Television Stations. “Larry and his talented team at Maryland Public Television have dramatically demonstrated the power of public television to deliver a broad range of essential local public services across the state of Maryland.”
Riley added that “Larry’s commitment to public service has been unwavering and essential to the success of the statewide network’s exceptional education services including Thinkport and the new Maryland Center for Media Literacy & Education; the innovative creation of the Maryland State Ad Agency; the critical public safety role MPT plays in the state; and the enhancement of community connections through engaging events and landmark local programs that bring pride to all Marylanders such as State Circle, Maryland Farm & Harvest, Outdoors Maryland, Chesapeake Bay Week and Chesapeake Collectibles.”
“I’m grateful for this special recognition from APTS,” said Larry Unger, president and CEO of Maryland Public Television. “During my time in the banking industry, I never imagined having the opportunity to change career paths and work with the talented and dedicated people in public television. What I’ve experienced at MPT and across the public media system are individuals dedicated to creative excellence, service and making their communities a better place. I’m proud of the positive impact our work continues to have and thankful to all those who I’ve had the honor to collaborate with over nearly three decades.”
Larry D. Unger is the fifth president in the more than 55-year history of Maryland Public Television (MPT). MPT, a $37.9 million noncommercial broadcasting operation headquartered in Owings Mills, Maryland, is a state licensee member of PBS.
Unger first joined MPT in 1997, bringing to the organization nearly three decades’ experience in the local financial services community. After serving as the statewide broadcaster’s vice president of administration and finance, chief financial officer, and executive vice president and chief operating officer, he was named MPT’s president and CEO in July 2011.
Within the public television industry, Unger is an at-large trustee of America's Public Television Stations. He is also a former member of the National Educational Telecommunications Association board of directors, a board member and former cochair of the Organization of State Broadcasting Executives, and former trustee and former chairman of American Public Television (APT), the largest syndicator of programming for U.S. public TV stations.
Prior to his MPT career, Unger served for 11 years as a senior-level executive at Baltimore Bancorp and its main subsidiary, The Bank of Baltimore. In his final position there, he was executive vice president of both entities, with responsibility for all consumer-related activities, including the branch system, retail lending, bank card and investment services. He managed more than $600 million in loans, nearly 600 employees and $1.75 billion in deposits.
Unger holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Baltimore, where he also earned a certificate in financial management. He completed the Stonier Graduate School of Banking, the pre-eminent executive management school for the financial services industry. Unger served for six years in the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve.
The 2025 Pillar of Public Service Award was presented to Larry D. Unger during the APTS Public Media Summit on Monday, February 24, 2025.
